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I think I get it. You don't have specific statistics for a non-HD1 sub-channel that doesn't have a translator. I suppose HD1 for a particular station would have statistics if it's running hybrid? Radio measurement services (Nielsen Audio in particular I guess) aren't reporting on HD sub-channel listening?

Nielsen provides an encoder for every service to separately encode. Each translator. Each stream. Each HD-2, HD-3, HD-4.

Stations outside a market metro can lease very cheaply an encoder if they want to be included in the adjacent market's data.

There is some indistinguishable data:

The is the (main) analog signal and its own HD simulcast are always combined. Because stations with HD are required to do a 100% simulcast on the first HD service (HD-1) there is no need to separate the data.

A translator and its "mother ship" are always combined. Whether the origination is an AM or an HD multicast signal, since they are required to do 100% simulcasts if they are within the same market / coverage area, Nielsen combines them.

Boosters are always combined with the station being boosted.

In another case, an AM/FM, FM/FM or AM/AM simulcast within the same market can either be combined or listed separately, at the licensee's discretion. Most choose to have the totals combined in Total Line Reporting.

Stations with partial simulcasts, even if the non-simulcast is brief, are listed separately. There is one exception for "blacked out" play by play streams, but it is a rare and complicated sub-topic.

In general, these rules are made so the advertiser knows what the reach of their campaigns is. The rules are not specifically done to benefit stations, since the purpose of ratings is to give metrics to advertisers.

The only HD stations that are attracting a measurable audience are the ones attached to a translator.

Before the changes in the MRS* policy implemented in June, there were just a couple of HD auxiliary services that made the book. But with the changes, there seem to be around 100 HD-2's and HD-3's that showed with 0.1 shares. That's because any HD auxiliary channel that is part of a subscribing cluster makes the book as long as it has at least one creditable listening incident. It's sort of a "thanks for participating" prize for subscribing.

* MRS Minimum Reporting Standards. The minimum requirements for listening needed to show up or "make the book".

A translator and its "mother ship" are always combined. Whether the origination is an AM or an HD multicast signal, since they are required to do 100% simulcasts if they are within the same market / coverage area, Nielsen combines them.

Does Nielson track HD sub channels that don't have analog FM translators? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what a translator is. I think you mean analog FM translators that are re-broadcasting programming from another source.

Does Nielson track HD sub channels that don't have analog FM translators? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what a translator is. I think you mean analog FM translators that are re-broadcasting programming from another source.

Yes, they track HD-2, HD-3, HD-4 auxiliary channels even if they do not have a translator.

Translators (with some now rare and rural exceptions) must rebroadcast another signal that is on an AM, FM or HD channel. They can not originate programming on their own.

If an HD is rebroadcast on a translator, Nielsen lists the "simulcast" number only, and it lists it with the HD channel, not the call letters of the translator. If there is no translator, the HD channel alone is listed in the report.

Yes, they track HD-2, HD-3, HD-4 auxiliary channels even if they do not have a translator.

Translators (with some now rare and rural exceptions) must rebroadcast another signal that is on an AM, FM or HD channel. They can not originate programming on their own.

If an HD is rebroadcast on a translator, Nielsen lists the "simulcast" number only, and it lists it with the HD channel, not the call letters of the translator. If there is no translator, the HD channel alone is listed in the report.

Interesting. Thanks for that. Do you think you have a pretty good idea of who's listening on the HD side or does the simulcast number obscure that?

As I said, the only HD stations attracting a measurable audience are the ones attached to a translator. You can't sell or monetize an audience that you can't measure.

I had some more thoughts about this. Maybe "hybrid radio" will help out with this. There does seem to be a push by the NAB to integrate radio with streaming in automobiles. Having that cellular backhaul behind the radio receiver will provide a way for listening analytics to be collected. There are a couple of articles about this: